Find inspiration and learn from empowered women leaders about career growth and mentorship. Pave the way to success and own your career.
Layla Whiting
UK Manufacturing Director, PepsiCo
Layla Whiting’s journey is a testament to female empowerment in business. Initially a part-time receptionist at PepsiCo, she embarked on an exceptional trajectory. She rose to UK Manufacturing Director after embracing opportunities across Supply Chain and HR.
“When I started at the company, my confidence was pretty low,” she remembers. “But the number of people who believed in me — when I didn’t necessarily believe in myself — was remarkable.”
Career growth, autonomy, and support
Whiting valued empowerment in owning her career, embracing diverse work approaches, and learning from mistakes within a supportive, inclusive setting. “If you’re offered a role that makes your tummy flip, you should take it because you’ll learn so much,” she said. “It can be scary, but I’ve always been supported and trusted to try new things, so I’ve never been worried about being outside my comfort zone, and I’ve never felt held back.”
Why mentorship and sponsorship are critical
Kate Brady
Senior Director of Marketing Transformation, Head of Creative and Content Transformation, PepsiCo
Kate Brady, Senior Director of Marketing Transformation and Head of Creative and Content Transformation at PepsiCo, agrees that employees should feel empowered to constantly challenge themselves. “That way, you’ll always be learning something and pushing boundaries to be a better leader and a businesswoman,” Brady said. “Where there are obstacles, you can use your network to navigate around them. It’s why mentorship and sponsorship within an organization are critical.”
Whiting says the mentorship and advice she received from various inspirational female leaders were invaluable to career growth. “They were always happy to support me,” she noted. “I want to have the same impact on other women in our organization.” It’s one of the reasons why she sponsors an internal employee group “Thrive,” which runs events and networking sessions for female colleagues.
April Carr
Senior Director of Transformation, Chair of the North American Women of Color ERC, PepsiCo
April Carr, Senior Director of Transformation and Chair of the North America Women of Color Employee Resource Group, has mentored many female colleagues during her 25 years with the organization. “I’m always encouraging women to go for that promotion,” she said. “It warms my heart and my soul when they tell me: ‘Guess what? I got the role!’”
Developing a meaningful career with real business impact
Carr’s path to senior leadership has not been without challenges. Occasionally, she admits, she has been the only woman in the room. “It’s part of my purpose to transform those rooms,” she insisted. “Thankfully, I’ve had some fantastic female leaders and allies who saw my potential and gave me the autonomy to lead and make change.”
It led to a fulfilling career that influenced the whole business. Carr’s team recently delivered the first AI-enabled app — with augmented reality capability — for the sales team at Frito-Lay. “That kind of innovation is possible because my team is full of talent from a beautiful array of backgrounds,” she said. “Diversity is the secret sauce, which is vital to the company’s sustainability and competitive advantage.”
Brady knows how exhilarating it can be to see a successful project come to fruition. “I get excited when I help find a solution and then embed it and scale it within the organization to make a meaningful impact on how we operate,” she said. “To get to that place, you have to feel empowered to raise your hand when an opportunity arises.”
While Whiting, Carr, and Brady emphasise that personal strength and initiative are pivotal to owning one’s career, they also underscore the significance of PepsiCo embedding inclusion in its company culture for success.
PepsiCo is an Equal Opportunity Employer: Race/Color/National Origin/Age/ Religion/Sex/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity/Disability/Protected Veteran.
To learn more, visit https://life.pepsicojobs.com/empowering-leaders/